VANCOUVER -- Moved back to the No. 1 unit after a couple of games on the third line, Alexandre Burrows scored the opening goal early and set up Daniel Sedin's game-winner with 8:28 left to lead the Vancouver Canucks to a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche

Henrik Sedin and Chris Higgins added empty-net goals in the final minute of regulation for the Canucks.

Colorado's Matt Duchene tied it 4:02 into the third period, but the top line put the Canucks back in front off an offensive-zone faceoff that went to Dan Hamhuis at the point. His pass down to Burrows in the left corner was quickly sent back into the high slot to Daniel Sedin, whose quick wrist shot through twin brother Henrik's screen beat Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov.

Vancouver's Cory Schneider made 30 saves; he has allowed six goals while winning six straight to put the Canucks two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild atop the Northwest Division.

Varlamov finished with 16 saves for the Avalanche.

Burrows opened the scoring after some pretty passing from the Sedins. A point shot from Hamhuis was blocked in the high slot, but bounced to Daniel. He spun into a blind backhand pass across the ice to Henrik, who one-touched it back the other way, stranding Varlamov and leaving Burrows with an empty net.

It was the second goal in seven games for Burrows and snapped a skid that saw the Sedins record one assist combined in the past four games.

Upset after falling behind 2-0 and being dominated in the first period of a 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames the night before, the Colorado was down 1-0 on the scoreboard and was being outshot 8-1 in the first nine minutes of the game

Things changed after a Burrows holding penalty.

Colorado recorded the final 10 shots of the period, and if not for a handful of point-blank saves by Schneider, the Avalanche would have been ahead after 20 minutes.

Instead it took until the third period for the Avalanche to get even. PA Parenteau won a battle with two Canucks behind the net and centered to Duchene in the slot for a one-timer that blew past Schneider and into the back of the net.

The goal was Duchene's 13th of the season and 33rd point, while the assist was Parenteau's 20th helper and 34th point. The assist extended Parenteau's point streak to four games.

Colorado had a great chance to defeat Vancouver in regulation on the power play a few minutes after Duchene's goal, but Schneider turned aside Erik Johnson alone in the slot and Daniel Sedin restored the lead two minutes later.

The Avalanche returns home for a Saturday 1 p.m. game against the Nashville Predators before going back on the road for two more contests. Colorado is in a stretch where they play five games in seven days, with four of them coming on the road.